A Christian Directory

§. 32. Most Students through slothfulness look no further for knowledge, than into their Books; and their learning lieth but in knowing what others have written, or said, or held before them; especially where the least differing from the judgement of the party which is uppermost, or in reputation, doth tend to hazard a mans honour, or preferments, there men think it dangerous to seem to know more than is commonly known; and therefore think it needless to study to know it: Men are backward to take much pains to know that which tendeth to their ruin to be known, but doth them no harm while they can but keep themselves ignorant of it: Which makes the opposed Truth have so few entertainers or Students among the Papists, or any that persecute or reproach it. And others discerning this extreme, do run into the contrary; and under pretence of the loveliness of Truth, and the need of liberty of judging, do think the edifying way is first to pull down all that others have built before them, and little regard the judgement of their predecessors, but think they must take nothing on trust from others, but begin all from the very ground themselves. And usually their pride makes them so little regard the most approved Authors, that they have not patience to read them till they throughly understand them; but reject that which is received, before they understand it, merely because it was the received way: And while they say, that nothing must be taken upon trust, they presently take upon trust themselves that very opinion, and with it the other opinions of those Novelists that teach them this. And believing what such say in disgrace of others, withal they believe what they hold in opposition to those that they have disgraced. But it is easy to see how sad a case mankind were in, if every man must be a fabricator of all his knowledge himself, and posterity should be never the better for the discoveries of their ancestors; and the greatest labours of the wisest men, and their highest attainments must be no profit to any but themselves. Why do they use a Teacher, if they must do all themselves? If they believe not their Tutors, and take nothing on trust, it seems they must know every Truth before they will learn it: And what difference is there between believing a Tutor and an Author?

§. 32. Most Students through slothfulness look no further for knowledge, than into their Books; and their learning lyeth but in knowing what others have written, or said, or held before them; especially where the least differing from the judgement of the party which is uppermost, or in reputation, doth tend to hazzard a mans honour, or preferments, there men think it dangerous to seem to know more than is commonly known; and therefore think it needless to study to know it: Men are backward to take much pains to know that which tendeth to their ruine to be known, but doth them no harm while they can but keep themselves ignorant of it: Which makes the opposed Truth have so few entertainers or Students among the Papists, or any that persecute or reproach it. And others discerning this extream, do run into the contrary; and under pretence of the loveliness of Truth, and the need of liberty of judging, do think the edifying way is first to pull down all that others have built before them, and little regard the judgement of their predecessors, but think they must take nothing on trust from others, but begin all from the very ground themselves. And usually their pride makes them so little regard the most approved Authors, that they have not patience to read them till they throughly understand them; but reject that which is received, before they understand it, meerly because it was the received way: And while they say, that nothing must be taken upon trust, they presently take upon trust themselves that very opinion, and with it the other opinions of those Novelists that teach them this. And believing what such say in disgrace of others, withal they believe what they hold in opposition to those that they have disgraced. But it is easie to see how sad a case mankind were in, if every man must be a fabricator of all his knowledge himself, and posterity should be never the better for the discoveries of their ancestors; and the greatest labours of the wisest men, and their highest attainments must be no profit to any but themselves. Why do they use a Teacher, if they must do all themselves? If they believe not their Tutors, and take nothing on trust, it seems they must know every Truth before they will learn it: And what difference is there between believing a Tutor and an Author?